THE SKIN on your body and face have different needs - so why settle for the same fake tan all over? The best fake tans for your face will cater to your complexion, boosting and brightening skin - without blocking your pores and causing breakouts.
It goes without saying that these products will give you a natural glow, which is especially useful when the warmer months roll around since you don't want to be wearing too much make-up - or indeed any at all. Using your trusty fake tan that is usually reserved for your legs on your face will more often than not cling to any blemishes on your skin - and can give an uneven coverage.
It's why beauty brands have started to develop radiance-boosting tanning drops, tints and creams for that coveted head-turning glow. Facial tan can replace foundation if you'd like to take a break from make-up but still want to add a bit of colour to your face.
They require minimal effort and won't wear off throughout the day - unlike a lot of foundations or concealers that constantly need topping up. From light mists that work wonders on the go, to gradual masks that build up a golden colour over just a few days - there's a huge range of products out there that will leave you looking like you're fresh off the plane and good to glow.
We've rounded up the best fake tans for your face - all of which have rave reviews and are from trusted brands, so you can be sure you're spending wisely.
Best fake tans for your face at a glance:
St Moriz Face & Body Tanning Mist With Coconut Fragrance
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Dries quickly, not sticky, buildable, skin-loving ingredients, smells nice, no need to blend in, refreshing
Cons: Needs up to 8 hours to develop
For us, tanning mists are as much about the added skincare ingredients and the pleasurable experience of spritzing yourself to cool down during a heatwave. And this one from St Moriz is affordable enough that you can spritz it to your heart's delight.
The tropical coconut scent is pretty addictive and makes you feel as if you're on holiday somewhere exotic. Plus, the particles are so fine that you don't need to blend the product in with a mitt or brush, so you can apply the mist on the go or in a slap-dash manner.
With that being the case, we've found ourselves misting away at any opportunity and in any location — from our office desks to the post office queue.
We tried it in the Medium shade and found that, after around 6 to 8 hours, it gave us a subtle golden glow. And, because it's packed with coconut oil and coconut water, it'll quench the thirst of even the driest skin.
Formula: Mist Development time: 6 to 8 hours Size: 150ml Vegan: Yes
Revolution Supertan Tanning Water
- Revolution Supertan Tanning Water, £5.99 (down from £7.99) from Revolution Beauty London - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Dries quickly, super fine mist, buildable, skin-loving ingredients, compact, quick development, nice smell
Cons: None
Revolution's Supertan Tanning Water has become a handbag staple for us. This compact 100ml bottle slots into a crossbody bag easily for on-the-go misting, and you can even take it on holiday with you.
As well as delivering a golden glow and deepening your skin tone within just 4 hours, this mist will calm, hydrate and brighten your complexion (thanks to the added Goji Berry, Oat and Chamomile). Lightweight, refreshing and non-sticky, it's also exactly what you want on your skin during a heatwave.
Formula: Mist Development time: 4 hours minimum Size: 100ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Goji Berry, Oat and Chamomile
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Clinique Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker
- Clinique Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker, £29 from Boots - buy here
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Looks good with and without makeup, can be added to moisturiser, lightweight, temporary
Cons: Not actually a fake tan
This one isn't technically a fake tan, but it works the same way as an instant body tan (but, for your face). It's a little pricey at £29 for a tiny 30ml bottle, but using it sparingly won't be a problem.
We tried mixing this into our regular face SPF for a healthy bronzed tint, mixing it into our winter foundation to warm it up a little for summer, and tapping it onto the high points of our faces for a subtle sunkissed look — and all three methods worked a treat.
The texture isn't what you'd expect from a bronzing product — it's an ultra-lightweight silky gel rather than a thick moisturiser or creamy bronzer.
We think it's the texture that makes it look so natural. Unlike tan, this will wash off when you remove your makeup with a cleanser, so it's a temporary fix if you forgot to tan and need some colour instantly.
Formula: Gel Development time: Instant Size: 30ml Vegan: Unspecified
Superdrug Solait Overnight Tan Mask
Superdrug Solait Overnight Tan Mask, £4,99 from Superdrug - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Deeply hydrating, can replace moisturiser or sleeping mask, subtle tan, affordable
Cons: None
If you're feeling particularly lazy and you're not in the mood to do an entire skincare regime before tanning your face, look no further.
We slapped Solait's overnight tanning mask on straight after cleansing and toning and went to bed, only to wake up with a subtle golden tan and soft, hydrated skin. It's no surprise, considering the mask contains shea butter, avocado oil and pineapple extract to brighten, calm and moisturise the skin without clogging pores.
If you want a more dramatic tan and already have a pretty solid skincare routine that you don't want to mix up, you might prefer to use a mist or serum in place of this mask.
But, we found this mask to be a nice weekly treat to top up a tan and deeply nourish your skin.
Formula: Cream Development time: 6 to 8 hours Size: 50ml Vegan: Unspecified Star Ingredients: Shea butter, avocado oil, pineapple extract
Tan Luxe The Face Illuminating Self-Tanning Drops
- Tan Luxe The Face Illuminating Self-Tanning Drops, £36 - buy here
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Can customise tan, natural finish, easy to use, travel size
Cons: The amount of drops depends on skin tone, may split with thick moisturiser
Tan Luxe’s The Face Illuminating Self-Tanning Drops work best overnight as it takes eight hours to fully develop – we applied the tan before bed. This fake tan was really fast-drying, you add a few drops to your moisturiser and it tends to dry as quickly as your moisturiser does.
We were very impressed as it blended really well and left absolutely no streaks. Some reviews claimed that this tan had a biscuity smell, but we didn’t pick up that and only smelled the moisturiser it was used with. Although, it seemed to blend better with a lighter moisturiser as opposed to my thicker nighttime cream.
Luckily as this tan is fast-drying, you can apply makeup easily over it as soon as it’s dry. But do keep in mind that the tan will develop underneath, so you may change shade throughout the day!
Formula: Oil Development Time: 8 hours Shade Availability: Light / Medium and Medium / Dark Size: 30ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Raspberry Seed Oil, Vitamin E and Aloe Vera
Tan Luxe Super Glow Hyaluronic Self Tan Serum
- Tan Luxe Super Glow Hyaluronic Self Tan Serum, £36 - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Benefits skin, doesn’t cause breakouts, creates a natural glow
Cons: Doesn’t develop a deep tan
The Super Glow Hyaluronic Self Tan Serum is perfect to use every day - we applied it in the morning and then follow with our usual skincare routine. Packed with amazing skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid plus antioxidants to smooth and protect the face, it feels more like skincare than a fake tan.
If you’d like a bronzed look, this serum isn’t the best pick as it creates a subtle glow that’s ideal for every day. There’s no fake tan smell and it makes the skin look really hydrated. We have sensitive acne-prone skin and find many fake tan products can break us out in spots
but this didn’t. We will be repurchasing and this will become a regular in our skincare routine.
Formula: Serum Development Time: 8 hours Shade Availability: Gradual and Gradual Deep Size: 30ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Cocoa Seed and DHA
Coco&Eve Antioxidant Face Tanning Micromist
- Coco & Eve Antioxidants Face Tanning Mist, £22.90 - buy here
Rating: 3/5
Pros: Easy application, generous size, deep colour development while also being natural
Cons: Caused breakouts, quite concentrated spray
We applied the Coco&Eve Antioxidant Face Tanning Micromist before bed and let the spray develop overnight. The spray nozzle was quite concentrated and was definitely more of a squirt over a mist and it dried relatively quickly, taking only a few minutes even with a generous amount.
The tan had developed really well overnight, the colour was deep and sunkissed, while also being natural. It left no streaks but there was a subtle transfer on our linens. After using a foam cleanser in the morning, we loved that it developed into a natural glow and worked with makeup. While we loved the delivery of this tan in terms of ease of use, colour and development, we don’t think the blend agreed with our dry skin as we noticed breakouts.
Formula: Spray Development time: Overnight / 8 hours Shade Availability: 1 Shade Size: 75ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid
Garnier Ambre Solaire Natural Bronzer Self-Tan Face Drops
Garnier Ambre Solaire Natural Bronzer Self-Tan Face Drops, £10 (down from £15) from Look Fantastic - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Dries quickly, affordable, buildable, skin-loving ingredients
Cons: None
Here at The Sun, we love Garnier's iconic Summer Body Moisturising Lotion, so we were excited to try a face tan from the brand.
Containing coconut water and hyaluronic acid and coming with a pipette, it has all the markings of an excellent serum — tanning agents or not. When we first put the clear serum on, we were pretty chuffed with the instant hydration radiance it gave our skin.
We used around six drops before bed and then followed up with our regular moisturiser, and in the morning we woke up with exactly what the product promises: a bronzed complexion. Just remember to wash your hands after use, or you'll be plagued with tell-tell streaky hands.
Formula: Serum Development time: 6 to 8 hours Size: 30ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Coconut water and hyaluronic acid
Green People Cha Vøhtz Age Defy+ Liquid Gold Tanning Drops
- Green People Cha Vøhtz Age Defy+ Liquid Gold Tanning Drops, £36 from Sephora - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Mix into your moisturiser, anti-ageing ingredients, hydrating
Cons: Takes 12 to 24 hours to develop
Green People's tanning drops are from the signature Age Defy+ by Cha Vøhtz (the brand's founder) range, which is targeted at those aged 35 and up. However, anyone can use this product. Mix a one to five drops into your regular face moisturiser or six to 10 drops in with your body lotion and apply your moisturiser as normal. A natural golden tan, or even deeper if you're heavy on the drops, will develop in around 12 to 24 hours.
We tried this on our body and faces and found that it gave us an even, golden colour all over. If it's not quite dark enough after the first application, just add a few extra drops next time.
This serum isn't just for tanning, it boasts a number of skincare benefits too. Containing seaweed and green tea to hydrate, soften, promote younger-looking skin and protect against free radical damage, it makes sense that it's part of the Age Defy+ range. And on top of all of that, it has a pleasant sweet smell too.
Formula: Serum Development time: 12 to 24 hours Size: 30ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Seaweed and Green Tea
St Moriz Professional Prime & Glow Face Tanning Serum
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Subtle tan, instant glow, works as a primer, tint specks of shimmer
Cons: Takes a while to develop Waiting for your tan to develop is a chore.
Sometimes all you need is a quick fix, and makeup often won't give you that natural lit-from-within look in the same way that fake tan will. Well, this serum from St Moriz will give you a glow and shimmer as soon as you put it on, and then in about six hours you'll notice a subtle golden tinge to your skin.
It smells pretty good, too. We've been using this product for a week and found it to give a very natural-looking tan, to begin with, but the colour started to deepen with daily use over a few days.
And, because it contains hyaluronic acid, it plumps, hydrates and softens skin at the same time. We've even been using it to replace our regular serum and primer.
Formula: Serum Development time: 8 hours Size: 25ml Vegan: Yes
Coola Sunless Tan Anti-Aging Face Serum
- Coola Sunless Tan Anti-Aging Face Serum, £49 from Cult Beauty - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Dries quickly, buildable, skin-loving ingredients, add to your moisturiser or straight to the skin, quick development
Cons: None
There are a few different options when it comes to the application of this face tan. If you want a deep tan, you can apply it straight onto the face.
If you want something a bit subtler, pump a few drops into your moisturiser to dilute it and then apply all over your face. We've tried it both ways and found that both techniques deliver an even tan. The best thing about this tan is the incredible mixture of skin-loving ingredients it contains.
For example, it is packed with Argan oil, Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and plant cell cultures to make skin smooth, hydrated, and glowy, as well as to prolong the life of the tan.
Formula: Serum Development time: 8 hours Size: 30ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Argan oil, Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid
Balance Me Gradual Tanning Drops
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Mix into the body or face moisturiser, buildable, skin-loving ingredients, customisable dosage,
Cons: Trickier to get even coverage so have to be extra thorough
These tanning drops are unique in that they're not intended to be used solo. You're meant to add one to three drops to your favourite face moisturiser or body cream, mix it up with your hands and then apply it to your skin.
There are pros and cons to this, we've found. On the one hand, this allows you to customise the dosage so you can have a darker tan one week and a lighter one the next. It also won't disrupt your skincare regime in the way that other products might. For example, you won't need to go without a serum or moisturiser to accommodate for this product.
On the other hand, it can be tricky to get even coverage with this method. You'll need to make sure you've mixed the product in with your moisturiser thoroughly before applying, which is easy to do with a small amount of product (i.e. face moisturiser) but not so much with a large amount of product (i.e. a body moisturiser). But, as long as you're careful and you mix the two products together for a good few seconds before touching your skin, you'll be streak-free.
Make sure you wash your hands well after application, too. If you're after a very subtle tan, follow the instructions and stick to one to three drops. But, if you want something a little more noticeable, we think you'll need around five drops.
These drops will give your moisturiser a little more 'oomph', as well. Containing Vitamin E and Aloe Vera these little drops have inflammatory and antioxidant-rich properties to shield your skin against free radicals, and they'll also help to hydrate and soothe your skin.
Formula: Gel Development time: 8 hours Size: 30ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Vitamin E and Aloe Vera
Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Face
- Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Face, £23 - buy here
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Easy to customise, good for sensitive skin, easy to dispense, natural
Cons: Small packaging, orange hands, used too much can look orange around eyebrows etc.
We’d been hoping to try Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Face and were pretty happy with the results. You can customise the intensity of your tan by adding 2-3 drops with your moisturiser. As you use your own moisturiser, it means you can use what you already have, which is good if you have a stock waiting at home, or have sensitive skin.
The bottle albeit small, is cleverly designed, as the pipette is used upside down, and one push means one drop, so there’s little to no wastage. However, we found that when mixing the moisturiser and the tan together, you could easily get left with orange stains on your hands. You need to instantly wash your hands, or alternatively rub between your palms.
With no smell and light formula, you really can’t tell it’s in your moisturiser upon application, but the tan after is natural, sun-kissed and even.
The colour develops within a couple of hours, leaving you with a natural glow. We recommend using it on alternative days to avoid telltale signs and an orange tint. There were no marks on our white pillows, and it simply fades as with everyday cleansing, making it the perfect way to keep your natural (or fake) tan topped up.
Formula: Liquid Development Time: 4 hours + Shade Availability: 1 Size: 15ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Aloe Vera
Rose & Caramel Nudity Aqua Facial Mist
- Rose & Caramel Nudity Aqua Facial Mist, £14.99 from Rose & Caramel - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Dries quickly, super fine mist, refreshing, buildable, skin-loving ingredients, compact, even tan
Cons: None
If you're the sort of person who wants to be misting on the go, you'll be a huge fan of Rose & Caramel's Nudity Aqua Facial Mist.
It comes in a pocket-sized 80ml bottle, so you can easily stick it in your crossbody bag for quick top-ups throughout the day or travel with it.
Since receiving this mist, it has lived on our desk and we find ourselves reaching for it multiple days a day. It contains medium to dark tanning ingredients, but how dark your skin goes depends on how often you're spritzing. If you spray your face once in the morning, you'll notice a subtle glow by the end of the day.
But, if you're consistently misting multiple times a day all week, you'll have a much deeper tan. The mist is ultra-fine, which means you don't need to blend the product in with your hands or worry about patchy areas.
This gave us a flawless natural-looking tan all over our face and décolletage. And, because the product contains niacinamide, it's great at hydrating your skin, improving skin texture and reducing the appearance of pores, dark spots and hyperpigmentation. We absolutely love this tan.
Formula: Gel Development time: 6 to 8 hours Size: 30ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Niacinamide
Rose & Caramel Unity Bronzed Face Tanning Drops
- Rose & Caramel Unity Bronzed Face Tanning Drops, £24.99 from Rose & Caramel - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Buildable, can customise the depth of tan, add to moisturiser, skin-loving ingredients
Cons: None
These tanning drops are intended to be mixed with your regular moisturiser and then massaged into the skin rather than being applied directly to the skin.
We mixed three drops into our moisturiser before bed — starting with absolutely no traces of tan on the face — and woke up with a subtle sunkissed glow.
If you want something a bit deeper to match the darker fake tan on the rest of your body, just add a few more drops.
Our skin was breaking out upon application, and we found that the calming aloe vera infused in the product actually helped to calm down our spots and prevent new ones from forming.
Formula: Serum Development time: 4 to 6 hours Size: 30ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Aloe vera and glycerin
Sienna X Q10 Tinted Self-Tan Mist
- Sienna X Q10 Tinted Self Tan Mist, £19.95 from FeelUnique - buy here
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Good value for money, can control amount, short development time, great value for money
Cons: Only one shade is available
A cult self-tan brand that has been around for years, Sienna X is no stranger to a great product for giving you a golden glow. The tinted mist is perfect for the face, although it can be used all over the body, as you can control how much of the product is applied to your skin - before buffing it out with a clean mitt.
This tan develops over four to eight hours, so it can be used during the day - or left to settle in overnight whilst you sleep, without pesky stains on the sheets. It's great value for money seeing as you can also apply this tan to the rest of your body and is also cruelty-free.
Formula: Mist Development Time: 4-8 hours Shade Availability: One shade Size: 200ml Vegan: Yes
Tan Luxe The Face Anti-Age Rejuvenating Self-Tan Drops
- TAN-LUXE The Face Anti-Age Rejuvenating Self-Tan Drops, £40 from Tan Luxe - buy here
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Customisable tan, anti-ageing benefits
Cons: Pricy
Similar to the Tan Luxe Face Drops, the Anti-Age Self-Tan Drops have been made with skincare in mind and deliver anti-ageing benefits. We tested the light / medium shade and mixed 6 drops into moisturiser before applying it to the face, neck, back and chest. The result - it gave a lovely golden glow.
As this drop works by being mixed into moisturiser, it’s great for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin as you can use the moisturiser that suits you best. While it’s pricier than other self-tan drops, it includes skin-loving ingredients like Raspberry Seed Oil, Vitamin E and Aloe Vera so it won’t dry your skin out.
Formula: Serum Development Time: 8 hours Shade Availability: Light / Medium and Medium / Dark Size: 30ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Glycopeptides, Raspberry Seed Oil, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E
Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Bronzing Face Drops
- Coco & Eve Face Tanning Drops, £19.90 - buy here
Rating: 4.5/5
Pros: Didn’t sink into pores, streak-free, buildable tan
Cons: Pricey, pump can be tricky
The Coco & Eve Face Tanning Drops were super easy to use - apply the drops to moisturiser at night to wake up with a gorgeous, even sunkissed glow.
While we prefer using a pipette over its pump packaging, it’s impossible to mess up applying it because you have complete control over how much tan you use and we had no streaks at all. It also smells like summer - no biscuity smells. The drops feel like a thick, hydrating serum on the skin and are perfect for sensitive skin as you absorb it with your own products.
The tan washes off gradually as you cleanse your face but I found that we actually applied less makeup when using this tan because it gave the face such a natural glow.
Formula: Serum Development time: Overnight / 8 hours Shade Availability: Medium & Dark Size: 38ml Vegan: Yes Star Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid
Where can I buy fake tan for face?
If you're looking for a face self-tan, you can find some of the best ones online at beauty shops. It'll most often be in the tanning or suncare section and you can shop from more niche sites to find specific products. Here are some of our places to buy self-tan.
How much is fake tan for your face?
Face fake tans can range in price, with our cheapest from just £6 all the way to £50, with most ranging from £10 to £25. If you're on a tight budget, you should be able to find plenty of options around the £10 mark or cheaper like the St Moritz Fake Tanning Mist, which is only £6. The priciest item on our list is the Coola Sunless Tan Anti-Aging Face Serum, which is a whooping £49, but we think it's worth the investment.
Can you use self-tan on your face?
We would suggest using a special self-tan mist, milk, cream or spray dedicated to building a gradual facial tan. That's because your face is more delicate than your body and it can result in blocked pores, breakouts and uneven coverage if used incorrectly. The best fake tans will give your face that natural-looking glow without the need to put any foundation on during warmer months.
How should I apply a fake tan?
Applying fake tan to your face can be a daunting task. If the faux glow on your legs turns out streaky, it can easily be covered up but it’s harder to disguise self-tanner mistakes on your face. First things first, make sure you thoroughly cleanse, exfoliate and moisturise your face and neck before your treatment. This will remove any dead skin cells and create the perfect base for the application of your product. On the morning of your application, moisturise your face - especially around your eyes, hairline and neck. Apply the fake tan in quick circular motions around your face using your fingertips. If you really want to nail that natural look, you can also use a blending brush and buff the product into your skin. Don’t forget the area around your hairline and jaw where harsh lines could appear.
Can you sleep with a fake tan on?
We're always looking for that product that would do wonders while we sleep, right? With the latest advancements in beauty, it's possible to gain a gorgeous face tan while sleeping: choose a night sleeping mask such as James Read Sleep Mask which also serves as a nourishing moisturiser. Look out for colourless gradual tanners and golden glow boosters to keep your sheets stain-free.
How to remove fake tan
The best way to remove fake tan is with a good exfoliator, followed by body wash to ensure it's all completely gone. Any body scrub with oil in will do the trick. Don't want to go to the shop to grab some scrub? Apparently, lemon and sugar mixed together work a treat too...
Can you tan through fake tan?
Wearing a fake tan might block the sun very slightly, but it'll hardly stop you from getting a tan. Most fake tans have zero actual UV protection, so make sure you're lathering up with SPF and sunscreen because you can definitely still catch the sun.
How long does fake tan last?
In general, how long your fake tan lasts depends on a variety of factors. If you play it fast and loose with your tan maintenance it can only last a couple of days before it starts to look patchy. If you take care to moisturise and don't over-exfoliate or over-wash you can help keep your fake tan in place for up to a week.
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